Real-Time Individualized Virtual Humans

Full Conference One-Day Full Conference

Thursday, 11 December, 13:45 - 17:30
Room 311
Level: Intermediate

The latest techniques for modeling fast, individualized, animatable virtual humans for real-time applications. Because a human is composed of a head and a body, this course analyses how these two parts can be modeled and globally animated. More precisely, it shows how individualized real-time bodies can be automatically generated from scanned data or from interactive measurements and how an automatic skeleton can be created for any body size, animated automatically, controlled in real time, and retargeted according to a motion-sequences database. Other topics include: facial animation from facial motion capture and simulation of interactive, realistic talking virtual humans, including personality models and complete body gestures.

The course also shows how crowds are modeled in real time using dynamic meshes, static meshes, and impostors, and explains techniques for adding variety to crowds, including individual animation, individualized path-planning, and accessories.

Several case studies in cultural heritage, emergency situations, and fasion modeling are presented to illustrate interaction with virtual humans. And the course concludes with a summary of open research topics in the virtual-human field.

Prerequisites
Familiarity with the fundamentals of computer graphics and computer animation, geometrical methods, collision detection and response, and real-time techniques is highly recommended but not mandatory.

Intended Audience
Developers of real-time virtual worlds, technical directors, researchers, and game developers who are looking for innovation as well as proven methodologies in simulating real-time virtual humans.

Instructors
Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann
MIRALab, Université de Genève

Daniel Thalmann
VRlab, EPFL

Instructor Bios

Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann
Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann has pioneered research into virtual humans for more than 25 years. She obtained several bachelors and masters degrees in various disciplines and a PhD in quantum physics from the Université de Genève in 1977. She created the university's MIRALab in 1989, and she has served as the university's Vice Rector.